The utilization of end caps in lighting fixtures is generally known. End caps may be utilized to inter alia, enclose the end of a lighting fixture and/or help define the aesthetics of a lighting fixture. End caps may be utilized in a variety of lighting fixtures including, for example, suspended lighting fixtures. Such suspended lighting fixtures may be stand alone fixtures and/or may be modularly coupled to one or more additional lighting fixtures in an end to end manner. For example, some modular lighting fixture systems provide start/end lighting fixtures and intermediate lighting fixtures. The start/end lighting fixtures define a light exit opening that is generally open at one end and closed at an opposite end by an end cap. The intermediate lighting fixtures define a light exit opening that is generally open at two ends. Two start/end lighting fixtures and, optionally one or more intermediate fixtures, may be coupled to one another in an end to end manner to form a substantially continuous light exit opening. For example, the open end of a light exit opening of a start lighting fixture may be coupled to one open end of a light exit opening of an intermediate lighting fixture and the open end of a light exit opening of an end lighting fixture may be coupled to the other open end of the light exit opening of the intermediate lighting fixture.
End caps that are utilized in stand-alone and/or modular lighting fixtures are typically completely opaque. Moreover, the end caps typically define and/or border the termination point of the light exit opening of the lighting fixture(s). Accordingly, light from the main light source of the lighting fixture does not emanate from the end caps but instead mainly emanates from a main light exit opening between the end caps. While such end cap configurations may be functional, they may not be of a desired appearance and/or may not provide desired light output at the ends of a lighting fixture.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide an end cap for a lighting fixture that includes an optical assembly having an outer lens and that enables light from the lighting fixture to exit through the outer lens. The outer lens of the end cap may optionally extend upward and outward from the main light exit opening and/or interface with the main light exit opening to create the appearance of a continuous light exit opening.